Flower Store On An Ocean Liner

Though there are legends of ancient splendor in which voluptuous monarchs are represented as having roses sent to their capitals by the shipload, the modern developments of horticulture, great as they have been, have not yet reached this stage. Yet, those of us who have reach middle life can look back with feelings akin to amazement on the wonderful advancements that have been made in the cut flower and plant trade.

Flower stores, located in great hotels and railway stations are no longer experiments but paying investments, and now we have the florist of the ocean. On a recent visit to the good ship Amerika, of the Hamburg-American Line, as she lay at her pier on the Hudson river, I was confronted with the familiar sign “Florist.”

The powers that rule this great concern have given the flower shop a place of honor on the ship. To the right, facing it, is a sign which reads: Washington deck: to the left is another with an arrow pointing to the Roosevelt deck; thus it will be seen that the ocean flower shop is surrounded by good omens.

When I visited the ship, in the hurry and bustle of preparations for sailing, trunks, checks, etc, were more in the minds of the passengers than posies. It is after land has been left behind and ocean life becomes settled that the florist does business. A good stock of azaleas, cyclamens, hyacinths and small ferns, with various foliage plants were on hand.

The young German in charge conducted me down past great heaps of good eatables, through the ship’s refrigerators till we came to the ice box, this being simply a section of the refrigerator fitted up carefully with wire partitions to guard against breakage in heavy weather.

A good stock of all seasonable cut flowers is carried, being purchased, in the open market in New York for the return voyage. The concession for the sale of flowers is held by Peterson, of Hamburg, Germany. It is generally understood that in a short time all the other passenger steamers of the Hamburg-American Line will be similarly equipped to the Amerika.